Welker signing his tender would guarantee him $9.5 million over the next season.

The Patriots wide out also tweeted, @WesWelker: “I signed my tender today. I love the game and I love my teammates! Hopefully doing the right thing gets the right results.”

If the Pats wanted to trade him – which probably would happen quickly after the tender is signed – this would be the first step in the process, although I do not think the team will go that route.

I believe a long term deal is still in the works and hopefully, a fair contract for both sides will be reached as soon as possible. To this point, I think both sides have handled the situation the right way and I would expect a resolution in the near future.

In other news, the Patriots announced they have released quarterback Mike Hartline, who was signed by the Patriots on Jan. 12 to a future contract. The team also announced the signing of second-round draft choice Tavon Wilson. Wilson is the first of the team’s seven draft choices to sign a contract.